Scrivener Notaries

What is a Scrivener Notary?

Scrivener Notaries are part of the profession of notary public in England and Wales. They are typically proficient in at least 3 languages (including English) and with academic or professional experience of the legal system of at least one other jurisdiction (in addition to England and Wales).

Scrivener Notaries are in many ways a unique legal profession. They provide specialised legal and linguistic services to clients with personal or commercial business in the City of London and beyond. Their professional connections are an important link between the common law system and the legal traditions of other countries. Their tradition and skill have the respect of the international notariat.

All Scrivener Notaries have been admitted to the Freedom of the Scriveners Company. Most will go on to take Livery and play an active role in the Company’s work, including service as Officers of the Company.


The association that represents Scrivener Notaries in external matters is the Society of Scrivener Notaries. The Society of Scrivener Notaries is independent of the Scriveners Company although its members are invariably members of the Company.


The Scriveners Company has a responsibility for two matters pertaining to Scrivener Notaries: admission and resolution of service-related complaints.

Admission

The admission process is the responsibility of the Notarial Committee.

A person who wishes to qualify as a Scrivener Notary must register as a candidate with the Clerk of the Company.

A candidate scrivener notary must already have been admitted as a notary public in England and Wales. Qualification as a notary in England and Wales is a matter for the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the approved regulator of the notarial profession under the Legal Services Act 2007. Further information on qualification and training can be obtained here.


Having qualified as general notaries, Scrivener Notaries go on to obtain their further qualification through the Scriveners' Company examinations in:

  • Advanced Notarial Practice,
  • the legal system of a foreign country and
  • two languages (comprising legal drafting skills and translation into and from English), with the second language being a “subsidiary” option

Examinations are typically in January and July and organised by the Notarial Committee. It considers applications and exemption requests, selects examiners and approves results once the marking process is complete.

Candidates must also complete a period of training or supervised practice.

Candidates employed by Scrivener Notaries typically enter into a two-year training agreement with their principal.

Alternatively, a candidate can enter a two-year period of supervision with a practising scrivener notary of at least five years’ standing. Further information on supervision can be obtained on application to the Notarial Committee.

For more details of the qualification process please refer to the Scriveners (Qualifications) Rules

Complaints

On instructing a Scrivener Notary you should be provided with written details on how to make a complaint. If you have a complaint relating to fees or the standard of service, you must first discuss it with your notary so that a reasonable attempt can be made to resolve it.

If your complaint remains unresolved you can refer it to the resolution procedure operated by the Scriveners Company. A complaint can be made by contacting the Clerk of the Company by e-mail, in writing or by telephone.

On receipt of a complaint the Clerk will arrange for it to be considered impartially by three members of the Company who are independent of the complainant and the Scrivener Notary.


Proceeding in this way does not affect any right that a dissatisfied client may have to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. Please refer carefully to the website of the Ombudsman for information on how and when a complaint should be made.


Evidence of professional misconduct is a more serious matter and should only be reported to the Faculty Office as regulator. Please refer to the information published by the Faculty Office.